Nintendo sued by inventor over 3D tech patent

Nintendo has been taken to court by inventor Seijiro Tomita over a patent dispute surrounding 3D tech within 3DS handhelds.

Reuters reports that the patent in question was developed by Tomita, and removed the need for 3D glasses when viewing the effect on the console’s upper screen. He claims Nintendo used the technology without compensating or crediting him.

Opening arguments were heard on Monday at the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, when Tomita’s attorney Scott Lindvall stated that he had developed the technology. However, Nintendo’s lawyer replied by saying that 3DS consoles don’t actually use key aspects of the patent.

Lindvall added that Nintendo’s meeting with Tomita in 2003 to discuss the technology was actually one of many meetings with other inventors also showing off similar 3D tech. One vendor was Sharp Corp, who would eventually go on to make the 3DS screen tech.

However, Tomita claims that he showed the prototype to Nintendo at the time and that the very same patent now lives within every 3DS unit, not Sharp’s.

He is now seeking damages, and his attorney stated that if successful in his claim, Tomita could be entitled to $9.80 for every 3DS console sold to date. His lawyer added, “He actually felt betrayed and hurt that they were using his technology.”

What do you make of the above? Has Tomita been stiffed? Let us know below.